I once worked with a guy who told me that the Michigan state color was Overcast. That is the best one word description of what winter is like in Michigan. Compared to the rest of the Midwest it's not really that cold and, on the east side if the state where I live, it doesn't really get that much snow. But you don't get to see the sky or daylight very much. Winter makes biking a 7-8 month activity. This year I didn't bike at all in November and the only ride in December was one on the Pinellas Trail in Florida. I'm not sure I can count that one. Any ride where you pass both Christmas decorations and oranges on a trees seems bogus.
Well, what can you do bikewise in Michigan in the winter? One thing, if you live in SE Michigan, is to ride the 1st Dozen on January 1st in Dearborn, put on by the Cycling Saddlemen. About 150-200 people who look like the Michelin man do it most every year. One year they played "The Ride of the Valkaries" as we rode off. Another thing is to be sure that you are on the mailing list for the PALM. Then, at the end of January, when all hope is gone and all memory of anything but mittens and down jackets has faded away, there appears in your mailbox a PALM application and the promise of Summer. Even though all you see is tundra, the days are getting longer. (Click here to email us your mailing address.)
Friday, December 28, 2007
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
PALM 2008 Begins For Me
We've already had three meetings on PALM 2008, picked a route, contacted the schools, and laid out a tentative route but for me the work for PALM began last Thursday. Other staff members are working on sites and doing the route. My wife and I do the registration and that starts with the application. Last Thursday I met with the printer and went over the changes that were needed for this year's application. If you've looked at the web site (http://www.lmb.org/palm) , you know that the registration rates have gone up: it's now $110 for adults (18 and over), $65 for young people ( 11 thru 17), $55 for children (10 and under), and $75 for non-riders. The bus fees have gone up to $45. It ends up that even though we sold out the last 2 years, we lost money both years, last year more than the year before. Our costs have gone up and, with no reasonable prospect of their going down, we had no choice.
Again, if you've checked the web site you'll notice that this year's PALM is a southern route. New Buffalo to Dowagaic, Sturgis, Coldwater, Hudson, Tecumseh and ending at Sterling State Park in Monroe. This year's ride will be shorter than last year's. (We checked and found that last year's PALM was the longest six day PALM that we've ever had. No wonder I was so tired after the ride.) For those of you that do the optional century ride, we are trying to route one that will include Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan.
And we will have a ride jersey this year. (We didn't have one last year and we heard about it.) It will be $40 and must be ordered by April 1st. It will be part of the application.
This year's application will have a new release form. While it will require a smaller font (oh, those clever lawyers), it should be clearer which signatures are required for participants under the age of 18, with or without accompanying guardian/parents, and where to make the signatures. Given the questions and mistakes that we had last year, the wording that we had was not clear enough.
We will be mailing our applications 1st class (as always) so that everyone receives their application at the same time (within a day or two). We won't be putting the application onto the website until 2 weeks after we do the mailing. If you check the rider statistics on our web site, you will see that we have a lot of riders over 50 some of whom have ridden with us for years. Some of us are not friends with the internet and we want to give them a fair chance. (Last year the ride sold out in six weeks which caught a lot of people off guard.) If you want to get on the mailing list and get this 2 week head start, email us at palmbiketour@yahoo.com
Again, if you've checked the web site you'll notice that this year's PALM is a southern route. New Buffalo to Dowagaic, Sturgis, Coldwater, Hudson, Tecumseh and ending at Sterling State Park in Monroe. This year's ride will be shorter than last year's. (We checked and found that last year's PALM was the longest six day PALM that we've ever had. No wonder I was so tired after the ride.) For those of you that do the optional century ride, we are trying to route one that will include Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan.
And we will have a ride jersey this year. (We didn't have one last year and we heard about it.) It will be $40 and must be ordered by April 1st. It will be part of the application.
This year's application will have a new release form. While it will require a smaller font (oh, those clever lawyers), it should be clearer which signatures are required for participants under the age of 18, with or without accompanying guardian/parents, and where to make the signatures. Given the questions and mistakes that we had last year, the wording that we had was not clear enough.
We will be mailing our applications 1st class (as always) so that everyone receives their application at the same time (within a day or two). We won't be putting the application onto the website until 2 weeks after we do the mailing. If you check the rider statistics on our web site, you will see that we have a lot of riders over 50 some of whom have ridden with us for years. Some of us are not friends with the internet and we want to give them a fair chance. (Last year the ride sold out in six weeks which caught a lot of people off guard.) If you want to get on the mailing list and get this 2 week head start, email us at palmbiketour@yahoo.com
Friday, August 31, 2007
PALM 2007 Pictures
I have posted my PALM pictures at www.kodakgallery.com/eknesper/palm. If you would like me to send you any of the pictures as email attachments, just send an email to palmbiketour@yahoo.com. Be sure to describe the picture(s) so that I will send the right ones.
Ellie
Ellie
Patch Contest Rules
Each year PALM accepts original patch designs for the following year. One winning entry is chosen, and the designer receives a free registration fee for the next PALM ride. The patch design contest rules are:
1. Entries should be postmarked by the end of
September. You can send a hard copy (PALM, P.O. Box
7161, Ann Arbor, MI 48107) or as an attachment to an
email (palmbiketour@yahoo.com)-- just send to the PALM
address or web site.
2. Use oval, diamond, sqaure, circle, etc. We
prefer those that do not create undue problems with
the shape. An irregular shape is more expensive.
3. We prefer a size about 3.5 inches by 4.5
inches.
4. Colors should be pretty basic, so that it is
not too difficult to reproduce.
5. Patch should include the year and ride number
(this will be 2008 and PALM 27). The numbers do not need to be in
Roman numerals.
6. Patch designs can be drawn by hand or be computer generated.
6. It is helpful if your name is on the entry in
such a way that it is easy to hide from the committee
when we vote. All patches are viewed with the identy
of the artist unknown.
7. We try to make the decision by the end of
November. All entrants will be notified and all
non-winning entries returned.
Good luck, and we look forward to receiving your entry.
1. Entries should be postmarked by the end of
September. You can send a hard copy (PALM, P.O. Box
7161, Ann Arbor, MI 48107) or as an attachment to an
email (palmbiketour@yahoo.com)-- just send to the PALM
address or web site.
2. Use oval, diamond, sqaure, circle, etc. We
prefer those that do not create undue problems with
the shape. An irregular shape is more expensive.
3. We prefer a size about 3.5 inches by 4.5
inches.
4. Colors should be pretty basic, so that it is
not too difficult to reproduce.
5. Patch should include the year and ride number
(this will be 2008 and PALM 27). The numbers do not need to be in
Roman numerals.
6. Patch designs can be drawn by hand or be computer generated.
6. It is helpful if your name is on the entry in
such a way that it is easy to hide from the committee
when we vote. All patches are viewed with the identy
of the artist unknown.
7. We try to make the decision by the end of
November. All entrants will be notified and all
non-winning entries returned.
Good luck, and we look forward to receiving your entry.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
PALM Fall Planning Meeting
The PALM bicycle trip each June is planned by an all volunteer committee, with members from all parts of Michigan. Any PALM participant is welcome to become part of this planning group. We meet on Sunday afternoons about every six weeks in Lansing, beginning with a potluck in September. This year's initial planning meeting will be held on Sunday, September 9 at 2:00 P.M. In addition to catching up with friends, we will elect ( or re-elect) the officers (and Board): Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary and member-at-large. We fill as many other staff positions as we can, usually by finding any willing candidate. Probably the most crucial part of the meeting is selecting the route. By tradition it should be a "southern route", i.e. mostly below I-94. Committee members present route suggestions at the meeting, and the committee then votes to select the route for PALM 2008.
If you are interested in being part of the planning for PALM 2008, please send an email to www.palmbiketour@yahoo.com. We will then send you directions to the picnic/meeting. We are always looking for new ideas and we encourage you to join in the planning process.
Ellie, PALM Mail Granny
If you are interested in being part of the planning for PALM 2008, please send an email to www.palmbiketour@yahoo.com. We will then send you directions to the picnic/meeting. We are always looking for new ideas and we encourage you to join in the planning process.
Ellie, PALM Mail Granny
Thursday, June 21, 2007
First time?
I am the person who, the the past two years, is answering the PALM phone and responding to PALM emails. In the past few days, we have had lots of anxious emails and calls from folks who will be doing PALM for the first time. As the PALMWebGuy said in his recent post, part of the job of the person answering the phone is to reassure all the worried people. Many of you are wondering just what you have gotten yourself in for. Have confidence in yourself! If you have been doing some riding and are ready for an adventure, you will most likely have a great time. My first time on PALM was on PALM III. Two friends and I signed up for the ride to celebrate one of the birthday milestones. I hadn't ridden much since I was a kid, and I had a rather heavy, somewhat old Schwinn 10 speed. Because I was working full time and had two young children, I had only ridden about 250 miles total that spring, with my longest ride being 30 miles. Like this year, the first day on PALM was just under 50 miles, and I remember celebrating when we got to forty miles -- my longest ride in one day ever! That year's ride was a true adventure, taking us through Kensington Metro Park and past the Pontiac Silverdome. I thought I finished the ride with energy to spare -- and then fell sound asleep on top of my luggage, waiting for the bus to take us home. I also remember feeling very amazed the next time my family drove across Michigan, as I remembered bicycling the same distance, all under my own power. As the years went by, each of my daughters rode PALM with me several times, and one even wrote her college essays about how great she felt when she dunked her wheels into Lake Erie at the end of her first PALM.
This year looks like it will be one of our warmer PALM's, so we will drink lots of water and take our rests under big trees along country roads. We will make friends as we wait in the usual food lines, discover how big the ice cream cones are that we buy in the small towns, and will experience life at a slower pace for a few days. And at the end, many of us will find it hard to return to the real world. But then, there is always PALM 27 to think about! See you all on Saturday!
Ellie, PALM "Mail Granny"
This year looks like it will be one of our warmer PALM's, so we will drink lots of water and take our rests under big trees along country roads. We will make friends as we wait in the usual food lines, discover how big the ice cream cones are that we buy in the small towns, and will experience life at a slower pace for a few days. And at the end, many of us will find it hard to return to the real world. But then, there is always PALM 27 to think about! See you all on Saturday!
Ellie, PALM "Mail Granny"
Monday, June 18, 2007
First PALM ride
My wife and I did our first PALM in 1995. We were going to do the MS150 in July and wanted to get some miles in (We had never ridden 75 miles before and were going to do it two days in a row). We had never done a week long tour. The only camping we had ever done was on a canoe trip with a ski club. I'm not sure that counts as camping. We were not sure we were doing the right thing so we called the PALM number in January. For those of you who have been on PALM, you know who answered the phone: Doris West. You also know that we were on the phone for more than 20 minutes. We were reassured, persuaded, and convinced that we were doing the right thing. There was no other choice. We borrowed a tent from a friend, purchased self inflating air mattresses (a must!), and signed up.
In 1995 PALM went from Bridgeman (which has a nuclear power plant) to Monroe State Park (which also has a nuclear power plant). It rained almost every day. But the tent didn't leak and we always found shelter when it rained more than a sprinkle so we didn't notice it that much. (Later we thought that we should redesign the ride t-shirt to have cooling towers at the start and finish and lightening bolts on all the sites in between.) We stayed at a lot of smaller, older high schools. There were a lot of cold showers. It was our first bike tour and we didn't know what to expect so we thought that this was just the way it was. At the first nightly meeting, someone asked where was Kevin. Who's Kevin? We didn't know. Afterwards I overheard a staff members talking, saying what a bad impression first timers must have of PALM. We had a good time and didn't know what they were talking about.
We've ridden PALM every year since. It's the only week long tour that we've ever done. (Part of that is that I switched jobs and only had 2 weeks vacation for 5 years.) We found out that sometimes it doesn't rain at all on PALM, that cold showers are an exception, and who Kevin is. If this is your first time on PALM these are all things that you will find out for yourself (and you'll see Doris West.) On our first PALM, we rode with a friend and basically hung out with him. Don't do this. Talk to people on PALM. One of the points of PALM is you can talk to complete strangers and meet some neat people. After a while you'll know how to put your tent up and tear it down. You'll find out what you should never have taken (and that if you need it, you can buy it. You are still in America.) You'll be able to recognise a sunset. And on this year's PALM, you'll know what's in the town square of Elsie, MI and why.
In 1995 PALM went from Bridgeman (which has a nuclear power plant) to Monroe State Park (which also has a nuclear power plant). It rained almost every day. But the tent didn't leak and we always found shelter when it rained more than a sprinkle so we didn't notice it that much. (Later we thought that we should redesign the ride t-shirt to have cooling towers at the start and finish and lightening bolts on all the sites in between.) We stayed at a lot of smaller, older high schools. There were a lot of cold showers. It was our first bike tour and we didn't know what to expect so we thought that this was just the way it was. At the first nightly meeting, someone asked where was Kevin. Who's Kevin? We didn't know. Afterwards I overheard a staff members talking, saying what a bad impression first timers must have of PALM. We had a good time and didn't know what they were talking about.
We've ridden PALM every year since. It's the only week long tour that we've ever done. (Part of that is that I switched jobs and only had 2 weeks vacation for 5 years.) We found out that sometimes it doesn't rain at all on PALM, that cold showers are an exception, and who Kevin is. If this is your first time on PALM these are all things that you will find out for yourself (and you'll see Doris West.) On our first PALM, we rode with a friend and basically hung out with him. Don't do this. Talk to people on PALM. One of the points of PALM is you can talk to complete strangers and meet some neat people. After a while you'll know how to put your tent up and tear it down. You'll find out what you should never have taken (and that if you need it, you can buy it. You are still in America.) You'll be able to recognise a sunset. And on this year's PALM, you'll know what's in the town square of Elsie, MI and why.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
What Shape is Your Bike In?
I just read in another forum that someone who is doing PALM was checking over their bike and found their frame had a crack in one of the chain stays. With only two weeks to go, they were worried they may not have a bike for the ride. Luckily, things worked out well for him. Not only did the manufacturer give him full warranty credit and send him a new frame, but he actually got an upgrade. He is all set for PALM.
So, the question comes up: What shape is your bike in? If you have not already had your bike into the shop for a check-up and tune-up now is the time. You don’t want to wait to pick your bike up the day before PALM and not get a ride in to be sure everything is alright. Nor should you make any major equipment changes without a significant checkout ride before PALM.
Every year, I personally work on, or refer to the PALM bike shops, bikes that the owners tell me they just had in for a tune-up. Some tune-ups, and bike shops, are better than others.
Two weeks from now, you will have completed your first 50 miles (or more) of PALM, had a shower, dinner, attended the all riders meeting and, hopefully, attended my nightly Effective Cycling class.
Get out there and ride.
So, the question comes up: What shape is your bike in? If you have not already had your bike into the shop for a check-up and tune-up now is the time. You don’t want to wait to pick your bike up the day before PALM and not get a ride in to be sure everything is alright. Nor should you make any major equipment changes without a significant checkout ride before PALM.
Every year, I personally work on, or refer to the PALM bike shops, bikes that the owners tell me they just had in for a tune-up. Some tune-ups, and bike shops, are better than others.
Two weeks from now, you will have completed your first 50 miles (or more) of PALM, had a shower, dinner, attended the all riders meeting and, hopefully, attended my nightly Effective Cycling class.
Get out there and ride.
Saturday, June 2, 2007
First 50 Miler
While I've been biking since the first of the year and have about a total of 400 miles in on all my bikes, today I did my first 50 mile ride. It was a wonderful weather day with only a little wind. I rode the "Blue Water Circle Tour" route which entails riding to Algonac, taking the ferry to Canada, riding up the Canadian shore of the St Clair River and taking a second ferry back to the US at Marine City. It's part of the Blue Water ramble route. US customs were especially suspicious today (maybe because of the power boat races in Algonac). They even made me unzip my rack pack and show them the contents. Good thing I wasn't smuggling an illegal alien in there today.
If you haven't been riding in preparation for PALM, now's the time to get going. Only three more weeks of preparation time left. In addition to your base miles, be sure to have a few 50 milers in before PALM. It's the only way to prepare for long days in the saddle.
If you haven't been riding in preparation for PALM, now's the time to get going. Only three more weeks of preparation time left. In addition to your base miles, be sure to have a few 50 milers in before PALM. It's the only way to prepare for long days in the saddle.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Summer Riding
Tuesday was the first day that it felt like summer riding. The sun was out, it had a little humidity, and the wind wasn't bad. I rode in bike shorts and a t shirt. I didn't even think about a jacket or tights. On our route we ride around Belle Isle. It's a great place to ride: there's water all around and the cars there are not in a hurry to get some place. The first warm day when school is still in session can be busy on Belle Isle. But on Tuesday, it wasn't bad at all.
Tuesday was also the first day that I rode with two water bottles. Summer is the time when you have to watch your hydration. Every year on PALM I'm amazed to find riders that don't have water bottles or camel backs. Some of the bikes don't even have water bottle cages. Biking is an exercise that you can do in hot weather. The heat feels worse when you stop. But you have to drink enough water. You feel cool on a bike but only because your sweat is evaporating to make you cool. If you feel bad on a bike ride, the most likely culprit is that you haven't been drinking enough water. On a long distance ride the goal is to eat and drink continuously.
First warm day: that also means that it is time to start seriously on my garden. Back to work! My plants, seeds, and bulbs are calling.
Tuesday was also the first day that I rode with two water bottles. Summer is the time when you have to watch your hydration. Every year on PALM I'm amazed to find riders that don't have water bottles or camel backs. Some of the bikes don't even have water bottle cages. Biking is an exercise that you can do in hot weather. The heat feels worse when you stop. But you have to drink enough water. You feel cool on a bike but only because your sweat is evaporating to make you cool. If you feel bad on a bike ride, the most likely culprit is that you haven't been drinking enough water. On a long distance ride the goal is to eat and drink continuously.
First warm day: that also means that it is time to start seriously on my garden. Back to work! My plants, seeds, and bulbs are calling.
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Metro Grand
Today was the day Judy and I were going to try to do 50 miles for the first time this year at the Metro Grand. How did we do? Well, first of all, it ended up to be 47 miles for us since this year we didn't lose the car. By the time we started, the temperature was in the mid 50's and we had bright sun. For once I was humble enough to take what I thought would be too many clothes. I wore everything: tights, long sleeve shirt, jersey, and jacket. It's hard to believe that 60 degrees is so chilly so soon after winter.
The news of the day was the wind. SW Michigan is flat and it gets flatter the closer you get to Ohio. We biked within sight of the Fermi plant cooling towers, so we were pretty far south. When it's flat and you are in farm land, there is nothing to block the wind. The forecast called for 10 mph winds. It was 18-20 mph and from the east. This meant that the first 13 miles we rode against the wind. We were crawling: 10, 11 mph. We were praying for hills, anything to block the wind. We did have the wind at our backs later for 9 miles which was nice, but we were dog tired. We have a lot of work to do to be ready for the PALM.
One thing we were able to practice was crossing railroad tracks. We crossed about 10 sets: good, bad, and very bad. One set had bolts sticking over an inch above the tie. They looked like they could tear the tires off of trucks. You are supposed to cross railroad tracks at a 90 degree angle. That keeps your wheel from getting caught in the gap next to the rail. Frequently used rails are slippery especially if wet or greasy. You can easily fall. One of our good friends broke her hip carefully crossing railroad tracks. If that isn't enough there are the trains themselves. One innocent set of tracks in the middle of the park today had an oncoming train. We took no chances and walked a lot of the tracks.
The news of the day was the wind. SW Michigan is flat and it gets flatter the closer you get to Ohio. We biked within sight of the Fermi plant cooling towers, so we were pretty far south. When it's flat and you are in farm land, there is nothing to block the wind. The forecast called for 10 mph winds. It was 18-20 mph and from the east. This meant that the first 13 miles we rode against the wind. We were crawling: 10, 11 mph. We were praying for hills, anything to block the wind. We did have the wind at our backs later for 9 miles which was nice, but we were dog tired. We have a lot of work to do to be ready for the PALM.
One thing we were able to practice was crossing railroad tracks. We crossed about 10 sets: good, bad, and very bad. One set had bolts sticking over an inch above the tie. They looked like they could tear the tires off of trucks. You are supposed to cross railroad tracks at a 90 degree angle. That keeps your wheel from getting caught in the gap next to the rail. Frequently used rails are slippery especially if wet or greasy. You can easily fall. One of our good friends broke her hip carefully crossing railroad tracks. If that isn't enough there are the trains themselves. One innocent set of tracks in the middle of the park today had an oncoming train. We took no chances and walked a lot of the tracks.
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Training for PALM: April
While the weather for the first half of April was horrible for biking, gardening, and baseball, there can be few complaints about the last half. For one thing, all the rain happened during the work week and all the sun was on the weekends. I was able to ramp up by biking. I'm riding with the frequency I want (typically 3 times a week) but not the distance. At least I can sit on a bike seat for significant periods of time. And Judy had the first flat of the season (at the end of a ride, a mile from home) so we've gotten that out of the way. Last weekend we went with Kevin to see "Gone With The Wind" on Friday and then rode 37 miles with him on Saturday. Both took about four hours with intermissions and both left us pretty tired. This weekend is the Metro Grand ride in SW Michigan. We will be trying to go 50 miles for the first time this year. It will be in the 60's and there will be pancakes.
I want to remind those of you registered for PALM that you can add/drop meals and bus rides until June 1 and there is no penalty. Carson City, Millington, and Almont are small towns and it may be difficult to get food there. Consider getting the meals for at least these cities. In reality the meals on PALM are community events. They are the times when you can see everyone who is on the ride and talk to them. Consider getting some meals just for that.
Currently we have 4 buses going from St. Clair to Spring Lake on June 23 at the beginning of the ride. The buses hold 56 people and we have 224 people signed up. There will be some cancellations, but there currently is very limited seating (that is, no seating: 4 times 56 = 224) on the June 23 buses from St. Clair to Spring Lake.
I want to remind those of you registered for PALM that you can add/drop meals and bus rides until June 1 and there is no penalty. Carson City, Millington, and Almont are small towns and it may be difficult to get food there. Consider getting the meals for at least these cities. In reality the meals on PALM are community events. They are the times when you can see everyone who is on the ride and talk to them. Consider getting some meals just for that.
Currently we have 4 buses going from St. Clair to Spring Lake on June 23 at the beginning of the ride. The buses hold 56 people and we have 224 people signed up. There will be some cancellations, but there currently is very limited seating (that is, no seating: 4 times 56 = 224) on the June 23 buses from St. Clair to Spring Lake.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Time to start to do
Finally we are getting our first streak of 70 degree days and, amazing, it's falling on a weekend. I'm going to be able to bike two days in a row for the first time all year. Up to now the most I've been able to do is talk about doing things. Now I can actually do them. One of these things is gardening. I've been to garden club meetings, now I have to actually plant things. Or in my case now I have to get my yard in shape so that I can plant things. I was looking in the back of my garage as a place to plant some more vegetables. What a mess that is. All vines and tree saplings. But because of the emerald ash borer, it now has sunlight. Better get to work.
Wait a minute, now it's 70 degrees and I can go bike riding. Not only is it 70 degrees but there is no wind. I can go as fast as I can. Unfortunately I'm not in shape. On a day when I can bike as much as I want, I can only hope to go 30 miles. (I can tell you that the frogs are in full voice even in the middle of the day. It must be close to prom time. ) I'm looking at the 10 day forecast and there's some more bad weather coming, but the ratio of good days to bad days is much better. It's time for us all to get our training in. We can figure out where we put the lawn mower later, some time in the middle of the week.
Wait a minute, now it's 70 degrees and I can go bike riding. Not only is it 70 degrees but there is no wind. I can go as fast as I can. Unfortunately I'm not in shape. On a day when I can bike as much as I want, I can only hope to go 30 miles. (I can tell you that the frogs are in full voice even in the middle of the day. It must be close to prom time. ) I'm looking at the 10 day forecast and there's some more bad weather coming, but the ratio of good days to bad days is much better. It's time for us all to get our training in. We can figure out where we put the lawn mower later, some time in the middle of the week.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Where is spring?
By last Saturday I was desperate. No biking since April 3. The explanation I heard on the radio was that this year March had 61 days. I tried to think that maybe we just traded two weeks in March with two weeks in April. It wasn't working. Since I couldn't bike, I went to a 5 hour gardening class by Earthworks Garden in Detroit. Even that had to be held mostly inside. On my way home, I passed two twenty year old women riding bikes with very under inflated tires. I have a bike pump in my car, so I rolled down my window to tell them that I could pump up their tires. Now think about this from their point of view. While riding by the Cass Corridor, a guy in a car asks you whether he can pump up your tires. What could you expect their response to be? They live there. They let me pump up their tires. One of the bikes hadn't been out since last fall. I told them my sad story: no biking. They sympathized and said that riding with air in their tires was a lot easier.
Sunday it was sunny. Cold, but sunny. Windy, but sunny. I bent the 50 degree rule and went out for a ride. I arranged it so that I went into the wind at the start so that I could gauge how far I could go. I rode through neighborhoods so that the houses could provide some windbreak. I was able to get 20 miles in and it wasn't too bad.
On Tuesday, my normal biking day with my buddies, it was sunny and it got into the 60's. It was pretty pleasant. Should I wear tights? (I've been told that professional bike riders wear something over their knees until it gets into the 70's. It helps their knee joints.) Nah. It's warm and the sun is shining. I took a rain jacket because there was some rain in the west, but I didn't put it on. One thing about where I bike (Detroit and southeastern Michigan): while there are no hills, there is wind. We started out with the wind. Then some clouds rolled in and the temperature started going down. By the time I turned into the wind to come back, I had the rain jacket on and I was cold. Where were my tights? By the end of the ride, the temperature was in the low 50's and the wind was a steady 15-20 mph and another lesson was learned.
Sunday it was sunny. Cold, but sunny. Windy, but sunny. I bent the 50 degree rule and went out for a ride. I arranged it so that I went into the wind at the start so that I could gauge how far I could go. I rode through neighborhoods so that the houses could provide some windbreak. I was able to get 20 miles in and it wasn't too bad.
On Tuesday, my normal biking day with my buddies, it was sunny and it got into the 60's. It was pretty pleasant. Should I wear tights? (I've been told that professional bike riders wear something over their knees until it gets into the 70's. It helps their knee joints.) Nah. It's warm and the sun is shining. I took a rain jacket because there was some rain in the west, but I didn't put it on. One thing about where I bike (Detroit and southeastern Michigan): while there are no hills, there is wind. We started out with the wind. Then some clouds rolled in and the temperature started going down. By the time I turned into the wind to come back, I had the rain jacket on and I was cold. Where were my tights? By the end of the ride, the temperature was in the low 50's and the wind was a steady 15-20 mph and another lesson was learned.
Preparing for Hills
After spending last week riding in Tennessee and receiving a request for suggestions on training for hills (Tennessee is nothing BUT hills), I decided while it may still be early in the season, it might be time to post this.
Training for hills is not much different than training for the flats, except you have to think more about shifting and your power output may have to go up briefly if, or when, you run out of gears. Always remember that your cadence (the speed that your pedals, not your wheels, are turning) is the single most important ingredient in managing long distance riding and hills. You should be maintaining between 70 and 90 RPM with your pedals, irrespective of your speed over the ground. Some folks liken this to always keeping only a light pressure on the pedals. You do this by shifting to an appropriate gear to maintain the appropriate RPM.
As you head up a hill, or even into a strong wind, your effort (pressure on the pedals) starts to increase and your RPM starts to decrease. This is when you need to shift to a lower gear. As the hill steepens, you continue to shift down to maintain the proper cadence (pedal rotation speed) until you run out of gears. At that point, you either tough it out, stand up, or you get off and walk to the top. There is no shame in walking up a hill. Personally, I have walked up many hills. The thing to remember, is to shift before you need it. You need to anticipate the down shift, because once you start to slow down and increase the pressure on the pedals, it becomes difficult, or sometimes impossible, to down shift.
What kind of gearing does your bike have? Make sure your bike is in good shape and sufficient gearing for hill climbing. The number of gears makes less difference on hills than the lowest gear available. A small 22 gear up front together with a large 32 or 34 gear in the back makes for some awesome hill climbing ability. That is what I use.
As far as training goes, realize that the hills on PALM may be steep at times, but are usually short. This means you need to train your anaerobic capacity. This is different from the aerobic training you may be used to. I won't talk heart rate here, but in aerobic training, you put forth an effort that you intend on maintaining for a long period. In anaerobic training, you train for maximum effort that you only intend to maintain for a short time. You can accomplish this by interval training. If you don't have any hills nearby, like me, once you have warmed up for 10 to 15 minutes, you can do intervals by shifting to a higher (that is, harder) gear and stand up to pedal. Presumably, your cadence will remain the same, but the pressure on the pedals and your power output will increase and you will start to breath hard. Do this for one minute then rest at your normal gear and cadence for 4 minutes.
Do five or six of these intervals a couple times a week and hills should become much easier for you.
Training for hills is not much different than training for the flats, except you have to think more about shifting and your power output may have to go up briefly if, or when, you run out of gears. Always remember that your cadence (the speed that your pedals, not your wheels, are turning) is the single most important ingredient in managing long distance riding and hills. You should be maintaining between 70 and 90 RPM with your pedals, irrespective of your speed over the ground. Some folks liken this to always keeping only a light pressure on the pedals. You do this by shifting to an appropriate gear to maintain the appropriate RPM.
As you head up a hill, or even into a strong wind, your effort (pressure on the pedals) starts to increase and your RPM starts to decrease. This is when you need to shift to a lower gear. As the hill steepens, you continue to shift down to maintain the proper cadence (pedal rotation speed) until you run out of gears. At that point, you either tough it out, stand up, or you get off and walk to the top. There is no shame in walking up a hill. Personally, I have walked up many hills. The thing to remember, is to shift before you need it. You need to anticipate the down shift, because once you start to slow down and increase the pressure on the pedals, it becomes difficult, or sometimes impossible, to down shift.
What kind of gearing does your bike have? Make sure your bike is in good shape and sufficient gearing for hill climbing. The number of gears makes less difference on hills than the lowest gear available. A small 22 gear up front together with a large 32 or 34 gear in the back makes for some awesome hill climbing ability. That is what I use.
As far as training goes, realize that the hills on PALM may be steep at times, but are usually short. This means you need to train your anaerobic capacity. This is different from the aerobic training you may be used to. I won't talk heart rate here, but in aerobic training, you put forth an effort that you intend on maintaining for a long period. In anaerobic training, you train for maximum effort that you only intend to maintain for a short time. You can accomplish this by interval training. If you don't have any hills nearby, like me, once you have warmed up for 10 to 15 minutes, you can do intervals by shifting to a higher (that is, harder) gear and stand up to pedal. Presumably, your cadence will remain the same, but the pressure on the pedals and your power output will increase and you will start to breath hard. Do this for one minute then rest at your normal gear and cadence for 4 minutes.
Do five or six of these intervals a couple times a week and hills should become much easier for you.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Weather
Opening Day this year was gorgeous: in the 60's. The next day, Tuesday, was the usual day that my friends and I bike after work. It was supposed to rain. (It poured the Tuesday before.) It rained all around Detroit, but I took a chance and tried to ride anyway. I'm glad I did: it didn't rain and its been the last time the weather has been good enough to ride. The weather has been horrible. On this Tuesday (!) I went to a garden club meeting. It's helped me to face the weather before. The woman at the meeting was apologizing because the cold crop plants that we were supposed to get next week wouldn't be ready intil May. I had to tell her: don't worry about it - it's supposed to snow tomorrow. And it did. My garden is frozen mud. I still can't tell if what is growing are plants or weeds. My feeling is that only a weed has a chance. My daffodils are flat on their faces on the lawn.
The Tigers have been lucky. They were home for three days and then took off for a 10 day road trip and missed all of this. Think about Cleveland. They had six inches of on their field for a week. There were pictures in the paper of their Latin players throwing snowballs and working on snowmen. The Indians had to move their Opening Day game to Milwaukee where they could play in an indoor stadium. Maybe they could rent their own stadium out for the Stanley Cup playoffs. I'm thinking: is it too late to take up a winter sport? And really, what good is daylight savings time anyway? My brother has the right idea: he moved to Missoula, Montana.
The Tigers have been lucky. They were home for three days and then took off for a 10 day road trip and missed all of this. Think about Cleveland. They had six inches of on their field for a week. There were pictures in the paper of their Latin players throwing snowballs and working on snowmen. The Indians had to move their Opening Day game to Milwaukee where they could play in an indoor stadium. Maybe they could rent their own stadium out for the Stanley Cup playoffs. I'm thinking: is it too late to take up a winter sport? And really, what good is daylight savings time anyway? My brother has the right idea: he moved to Missoula, Montana.
Saturday, April 7, 2007
Demographics for PALM 2007
I did some breakdowns for PALM 2007 based on the 729 people that we have registered so far. Since we have 22 people whose applications have problems, these statistics are not complete.
Age Range / Counts
There are several things here that may surprise you but are typical for PALM. Notice the large number of people between 10 and 19. We encourage family biking and this is traditionally the first or second largest age group. Notice the number of 20 to 29 year olds is smaller than the kids under 10 and that the number of 20 to 39 year olds is less than the people 70 and over. This shows a couple of things: (1) biking is a great exercise for the long haul and (2) PALM is not an Olympic event but, at an average daily distance of 50 miles, is something within the range of everybody.
Number of PALMs/Counts
A look at the number of PALMs that people have done shows other interesting things. For one, about 35% of the people on the ride are doing the PALM for the first time. This is typical. Last year we did a survey and found that one sixth of our riders have never done a week long bike tour. This is not surprising: we encourage first timers. The median number of PALMs is two, ie, if you add first two totals, it is over 50 % of our total participants. But notice that whole lot of people have done a whole lot of PALMs. As part of last year's survey, we asked people how they heard about PALM. 80% of people said that they heard about PALM either from a friend or from a PALM rider. There is something about PALM that brings a lot of people back over and over and makes them recommend PALM to people they know.
Top 10 Cities/Counts
This year PALM riders come from 242 cities. They are mostly from small towns all around Michigan. Typically Ann Arbor tops the list. Why? Because PALM started off in Ann Arbor and most of the staff originally came from there. This is no longer the case. This year the St. Hubert's youth group is riding PALM and that's why Harrison Twp is second. PALM often hosts groups and family reunions. Last year 4 generations of the same family rode the PALM.
Age Range / Counts
- 0 to 9: 31
- 10 to 19: 165
- 20 to 29: 25
- 30 to 39: 34
- 40 to 49: 98
- 50 to 59: 171
- 60 to 69: 142
- 70 to 79: 52
- 80 & over: 10
There are several things here that may surprise you but are typical for PALM. Notice the large number of people between 10 and 19. We encourage family biking and this is traditionally the first or second largest age group. Notice the number of 20 to 29 year olds is smaller than the kids under 10 and that the number of 20 to 39 year olds is less than the people 70 and over. This shows a couple of things: (1) biking is a great exercise for the long haul and (2) PALM is not an Olympic event but, at an average daily distance of 50 miles, is something within the range of everybody.
Number of PALMs/Counts
- 1 PALM: 255
- 2 PALMs: 149
- 3 PALMs: 86
- 4 PALMs: 36
- 5 PALMs: 44
- 6 PALMs: 18
- 7 PALMs: 24
- 8 PALMs: 23
- 9 PALMs: 8
- 10 PALMs: 9
- 11 - 15 PALMs: 43
- 16 - 20 PALMs: 21
- 21 - 25 PALMs: 13
A look at the number of PALMs that people have done shows other interesting things. For one, about 35% of the people on the ride are doing the PALM for the first time. This is typical. Last year we did a survey and found that one sixth of our riders have never done a week long bike tour. This is not surprising: we encourage first timers. The median number of PALMs is two, ie, if you add first two totals, it is over 50 % of our total participants. But notice that whole lot of people have done a whole lot of PALMs. As part of last year's survey, we asked people how they heard about PALM. 80% of people said that they heard about PALM either from a friend or from a PALM rider. There is something about PALM that brings a lot of people back over and over and makes them recommend PALM to people they know.
Top 10 Cities/Counts
- Ann Arbor: 35
- Harrison Twp: 30
- Battle Creek: 16
- Warren: 13
- Grand Rapids: 12
- Royal Oak: 12
- Tecumseh: 12
- Ooltewah, TN: 11
- Fort Wayne, IN: 10
- Sterling Heights: 10
This year PALM riders come from 242 cities. They are mostly from small towns all around Michigan. Typically Ann Arbor tops the list. Why? Because PALM started off in Ann Arbor and most of the staff originally came from there. This is no longer the case. This year the St. Hubert's youth group is riding PALM and that's why Harrison Twp is second. PALM often hosts groups and family reunions. Last year 4 generations of the same family rode the PALM.
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Training for PALM: March
As I mentioned previously, my goal is to start riding three times a week, to start at 20 miles, and to work my up to be able to do 50 miles on one of the rides. You may ask, how is it coming along? Not so good. I rode only three times in March, each for 20 miles. Not very impressive if you remember how much warm weather we've had. (I consider anything over 50 degrees warm enough to ride.)
We're still at the point where we can't pick the days we want to ride, we have to ride on the days that we are allowed to ride. I do a Tuesday night ride with a group of friends all through the summer. We bike by old Tiger Stadium, Mexican Town, the Ambassador Bridge, Renaissance Center, Belle Isle, Eastern Market, and Wayne State. I never plan riding based on the weather forecast. I won't start riding if its raining, but it's got to be raining first. Last Tuesday it was supposed to rain but it wasn't raining when left work to drive down to meet my friends. Then it started to sprinkle. Well, in Michigan it can sprinkle and stop so I kept on going. Then it started to pour. In Michigan when it rains hard, it doesn't rain long so I kept on going. Then it started to mix hail with the rain. It was so loud in my car I thought I was going to have stop under a bridge. In Detroit all the expressways are built in ditches so that stopping wasn't going to be a good idea, so I kept going. It didn't do any good. It rained until dark and we couldn't ride. The thing was Monday was a beautiful day. It was in the 70's and the sun was shining. I should have biked then. I forgot that this time of year I don't get to chose which day to bike on. As I'm writing this, the sun has come out. The forecast is for rain. I'm going to go out riding right now. Get it while you can.
Registration update: I sent out a new batch of confirmation letters. We have 729 people registered so far with 22 more still to be registered when the problems with their applications are resolved. Our cutoff date this year was March 1 so it's taken a whole month to get caught up. Thank you for your patience.
We're still at the point where we can't pick the days we want to ride, we have to ride on the days that we are allowed to ride. I do a Tuesday night ride with a group of friends all through the summer. We bike by old Tiger Stadium, Mexican Town, the Ambassador Bridge, Renaissance Center, Belle Isle, Eastern Market, and Wayne State. I never plan riding based on the weather forecast. I won't start riding if its raining, but it's got to be raining first. Last Tuesday it was supposed to rain but it wasn't raining when left work to drive down to meet my friends. Then it started to sprinkle. Well, in Michigan it can sprinkle and stop so I kept on going. Then it started to pour. In Michigan when it rains hard, it doesn't rain long so I kept on going. Then it started to mix hail with the rain. It was so loud in my car I thought I was going to have stop under a bridge. In Detroit all the expressways are built in ditches so that stopping wasn't going to be a good idea, so I kept going. It didn't do any good. It rained until dark and we couldn't ride. The thing was Monday was a beautiful day. It was in the 70's and the sun was shining. I should have biked then. I forgot that this time of year I don't get to chose which day to bike on. As I'm writing this, the sun has come out. The forecast is for rain. I'm going to go out riding right now. Get it while you can.
Registration update: I sent out a new batch of confirmation letters. We have 729 people registered so far with 22 more still to be registered when the problems with their applications are resolved. Our cutoff date this year was March 1 so it's taken a whole month to get caught up. Thank you for your patience.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Preparing for PALM: A Guide
Mark is right: Spring is Here! Both literally and figuratively. Today's almost 80 degree day had many of us playing hooky from work and out on our bikes.
For those of you who have signed up for PALM, have not yet been on your bikes, and have never participated in a multi-day ride, you may be asking yourself: How do I get physically ready for PALM?
PALM is geared toward families and beginners and the daily mileages reflect that. However, how easy the ride will be for you, and especially how much you enjoy yourself, can be directly proportional to how well you prepare.
As we continue to stress, the first thing you should do is to be sure your bike is in good working order. If you don’t know much about how to work on your own bike, take it to your local bike shop. While there, ask them to check if the bike is properly setup for you. Have them look at the seat height, tilt, and fore-aft position, as well as the handlebar position to be sure everything is set up as best as possible for you when you sit on the bike. Remember that these are starting positions and as you ride you may want to make additional adjustments. Ask the shop what adjustments affect what so you might be able to do them yourself.
Now that your bike is ready for you, you need to get ready for your bike. There is no magic involved here. It basically comes down to spending as much time in the saddle as possible. Start riding as soon as the weather permits. Try to ride at least 3 times a week. How far for each ride is up to you, but in the beginning, try for at least 10 miles. After 2 weeks, add 5 to 10 miles to each ride. Again, after a few weeks add another 5 to 10 miles per ride. Continue this gradual building up until you get to at least one 50-mile ride each week right up to PALM.
The “secret” is to not only build up your muscles and aerobic capacity, but to become comfortable in the riding position and especially the saddle. Everyone, even Lance Armstrong, gets a sore posterior. Remember, PALM is not a race. Take a “butt break” every 15 minutes or so while riding by standing up on the pedals and stretching. Get off the bike for a few minutes every 10 to 20 miles. Take in the sights along the way. Stop for lunch or to do some shopping.
If you have any questions, feel free to email me.
For those of you who have signed up for PALM, have not yet been on your bikes, and have never participated in a multi-day ride, you may be asking yourself: How do I get physically ready for PALM?
PALM is geared toward families and beginners and the daily mileages reflect that. However, how easy the ride will be for you, and especially how much you enjoy yourself, can be directly proportional to how well you prepare.
As we continue to stress, the first thing you should do is to be sure your bike is in good working order. If you don’t know much about how to work on your own bike, take it to your local bike shop. While there, ask them to check if the bike is properly setup for you. Have them look at the seat height, tilt, and fore-aft position, as well as the handlebar position to be sure everything is set up as best as possible for you when you sit on the bike. Remember that these are starting positions and as you ride you may want to make additional adjustments. Ask the shop what adjustments affect what so you might be able to do them yourself.
Now that your bike is ready for you, you need to get ready for your bike. There is no magic involved here. It basically comes down to spending as much time in the saddle as possible. Start riding as soon as the weather permits. Try to ride at least 3 times a week. How far for each ride is up to you, but in the beginning, try for at least 10 miles. After 2 weeks, add 5 to 10 miles to each ride. Again, after a few weeks add another 5 to 10 miles per ride. Continue this gradual building up until you get to at least one 50-mile ride each week right up to PALM.
The “secret” is to not only build up your muscles and aerobic capacity, but to become comfortable in the riding position and especially the saddle. Everyone, even Lance Armstrong, gets a sore posterior. Remember, PALM is not a race. Take a “butt break” every 15 minutes or so while riding by standing up on the pedals and stretching. Get off the bike for a few minutes every 10 to 20 miles. Take in the sights along the way. Stop for lunch or to do some shopping.
If you have any questions, feel free to email me.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Spring is officially here
You may not have noticed, but spring officially arrived on March 20. On March 13, it reached 70 degrees. It was your Florida vacation if you didn't get a chance. Hopefully by now you have taken your bike in for a tuneup and checkout and have it back. Have you taken advantage of the warmer weather? You still can't ride every day but there are days you can and you need to take advantage. My personal cutoff is 50 degrees: any day over 50 I can ride. I wear a lot of clothes, but I can ride.
Because daylight savings had started, I was able to ride March 13. And because it was over 50 degrees (65!), I was able to ride on Saturday. Since I live in Michigan, every year in the spring, I have to start biking all over again. I run in the winter, but running is not biking. In the spring I'm tired after a 20 mile ride even at a relaxed pace. And how many more weeks is it to the PALM? My goal is to ride 3 days a week. In the beginning I'm really just practicing sitting on a bicycle seat. I try to do 20 miles, but hey. Later I'll try to make one of the rides a long one. Every year I try to do 50 miles at the Metro Grand which occurs on the first Sunday of May. (One year it was 43 degrees and pouring rain. I didn't ride that year. I saw some of the riders coming in. They were poster children for hypothermia.) Wish me luck!
Three weeks after the cutoff date and we are still processing applications. I sent out the 660th confirmation letter today. I'm supposed to get applications to finish for another 60 people in the next couple of days and we have another 22 people whose applications have errors. (Hey, wait, wasn't the cutoff 700 riders?) We've had to return with regrets the applications of 150 riders. We may not have been fast but we've been busy.
Because daylight savings had started, I was able to ride March 13. And because it was over 50 degrees (65!), I was able to ride on Saturday. Since I live in Michigan, every year in the spring, I have to start biking all over again. I run in the winter, but running is not biking. In the spring I'm tired after a 20 mile ride even at a relaxed pace. And how many more weeks is it to the PALM? My goal is to ride 3 days a week. In the beginning I'm really just practicing sitting on a bicycle seat. I try to do 20 miles, but hey. Later I'll try to make one of the rides a long one. Every year I try to do 50 miles at the Metro Grand which occurs on the first Sunday of May. (One year it was 43 degrees and pouring rain. I didn't ride that year. I saw some of the riders coming in. They were poster children for hypothermia.) Wish me luck!
Three weeks after the cutoff date and we are still processing applications. I sent out the 660th confirmation letter today. I'm supposed to get applications to finish for another 60 people in the next couple of days and we have another 22 people whose applications have errors. (Hey, wait, wasn't the cutoff 700 riders?) We've had to return with regrets the applications of 150 riders. We may not have been fast but we've been busy.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Registration for PALM 2007 is closed
I've been on staff for 8 years. Last year was the first time that we ever hit the 700 participant cutoff before May 1, the date cutoff. Last year we were caught off guard and ended up registering over 800 people. This year we were a little better prepared: we posted updated registration counts on the website and the blog to warn people about how many people were registering. Since the schools are smaller this year, we were monitoring the counts more closely. Anything much over 700 will impact the quality of this year's ride. We have received applications from more than 750 people and it is time to close registration. We will start returning checks with letters of regret shortly. We've been dating when we've received applications. It looks like if we've received your application by March 1, you are on the ride.
So far we have mailed out 486 confirmation letters. That means that we have over 200 applications that we haven't finished processing yet. Some of these applications have errors so we can't finish processing them (even though they will be on the ride). Still we are way behind. If you've mailed your application before February 23, you are virtually certain of being on the ride. (We go off of when we received your application, not the postmark. Most of the time you can't read the postmark.) If you mailed in your application after that, the longer it is before you hear from us, the better your chances are. Believe me, everyone who is doing the registration and everybody who is on staff for PALM feels bad about turning down anyone who wants to be on PALM.
So far we have mailed out 486 confirmation letters. That means that we have over 200 applications that we haven't finished processing yet. Some of these applications have errors so we can't finish processing them (even though they will be on the ride). Still we are way behind. If you've mailed your application before February 23, you are virtually certain of being on the ride. (We go off of when we received your application, not the postmark. Most of the time you can't read the postmark.) If you mailed in your application after that, the longer it is before you hear from us, the better your chances are. Believe me, everyone who is doing the registration and everybody who is on staff for PALM feels bad about turning down anyone who wants to be on PALM.
Winter is over, what about your bike?
For me winter ends when the first spring training game is broadcast and you can hear Ernie Harwell say "For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land". That was on March 1, so I'm a little late. Now is a good time to take you bike in for a tune up, now when weather is still bad. A trip to the mechanic save you grief on the PALM (or any ride) later. PALM does have bike shops accompanying the tour. They have lots of parts and charge very reasonable rates. But they most likely they won’t be where you are when you break down so you’ll have to be sagged to where they are. They set up at the sites and do repairs at night, but you will be in line with everybody else who didn’t get their bike looked at. Think about it. Take your bike in now.
I followed my own advice and took my bike in last Saturday. It’s being worked on now. Of course, it’s 70 outside now too. It looks like the official end of winter is not the only thing I’m a little late on. Fortunately I have another bike. It’s a mountain bike and it’s heavy, but that’s what I get for being late. It has knobbies and maybe that’s a good thing.
Friday, March 9, 2007
What kind of bike is best for PALM?
Well, it’s now March, daytime temperatures are rising, and Daylight Savings Time goes into effect this weekend, which means more daylight to ride after work. For those that are planning on riding on PALM, spring fever is close at hand.
Along with training, some of you are contemplating new bikes. Whether it’s because last year you realized your department store bike was not the best, your college ten-speed is worn out, or you’ve been planning on a new bike for a few years, the question always come up: “What kind of bike is best?”
I am asked this question every year both before and during PALM. This really boils down to personal opinion and discussions can become quite heated between proponents of any one bike design. While I do have my own personal opinion, I believe there is no clear-cut answer. The best I can some up with is: “The bike you feel most comfortable on.”
Every bike has its good and bad points. A hybrid or mountain bike may have a nice, comfortable, upright riding position and fat tires for a smooth ride. However, that same upright position causes a lot of wind resistance and the wider tires cause more rolling resistance.
A road bike is lighter and has a more aerodynamic riding position, but some people cannot take the bent-over position for hours at a time and its narrower tires make it more prone to road hazards.
Recumbents can overcome some of the problems with both types of upright bikes, but have issues of their own such as slow speed stability and costing significantly more than a standard bike.
Each bike type has its strengths, weaknesses and purpose. Personally, I own at least one of each.
Except for a trike, and I’ve got to fix that.
Along with training, some of you are contemplating new bikes. Whether it’s because last year you realized your department store bike was not the best, your college ten-speed is worn out, or you’ve been planning on a new bike for a few years, the question always come up: “What kind of bike is best?”
I am asked this question every year both before and during PALM. This really boils down to personal opinion and discussions can become quite heated between proponents of any one bike design. While I do have my own personal opinion, I believe there is no clear-cut answer. The best I can some up with is: “The bike you feel most comfortable on.”
Every bike has its good and bad points. A hybrid or mountain bike may have a nice, comfortable, upright riding position and fat tires for a smooth ride. However, that same upright position causes a lot of wind resistance and the wider tires cause more rolling resistance.
A road bike is lighter and has a more aerodynamic riding position, but some people cannot take the bent-over position for hours at a time and its narrower tires make it more prone to road hazards.
Recumbents can overcome some of the problems with both types of upright bikes, but have issues of their own such as slow speed stability and costing significantly more than a standard bike.
Each bike type has its strengths, weaknesses and purpose. Personally, I own at least one of each.
Except for a trike, and I’ve got to fix that.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Mechanic’s Corner Part 2
What is in your on-bike tool kit? If you do not know, now’s the time to take inventory. At a minimum, you should carry a spare tube (make sure it will fit your bike), tire levers (to get out the flat tube), a patch kit (in case you get 2 flats), a pump, spoke wrench, screwdrivers, wrenches, and Allens to fit every fastener on your bike. A chain tool (in case you break or bend your chain) can also come in handy in case you break or bend your chain. Some tool kits come pretty complete, including the seat bag. Multi-tools are the “Swiss army knife” of tools and can replace many individual tools. Practice and make sure you know how to use all the tools you carry.
Remember, that while the PALM route is SAGed, the SAG drivers may not have the tool you need for your bike. Therefore, if you cannot fix your bike, you may have to be SAGed in and miss the rest of that day’s ride. Don’t count on seeing one of the bike shops on the road. You should be able to fix your bike at least well enough to get you in for the day. At that point, one of the bike shops will be able help you out.
Remember, that while the PALM route is SAGed, the SAG drivers may not have the tool you need for your bike. Therefore, if you cannot fix your bike, you may have to be SAGed in and miss the rest of that day’s ride. Don’t count on seeing one of the bike shops on the road. You should be able to fix your bike at least well enough to get you in for the day. At that point, one of the bike shops will be able help you out.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Applications: common errors
Right now we have 28 applications that have errors. Until the errors are corrected riders cannot be registered. This delays my sending out confirmation letters and raisies anxieties.
First thing's first: applications are assigned numbers as they come in, whether they have errors or not. So even if your application has an error, you are on the ride if you beat the famous 700 rider limit. But it delays you getting your confirmation letter.
The most common error is adding up the dollar amounts incorrectly: either overpaying (5) or underpaying (12). (If you overpay, we can't cash your check. ) On the application we mention: check your totals twice. That's why.
Missing signatures is the next most common error with 9. You have to sign the waiver before you can join the ride. There are special signatures necessary when you are riding with people under 18 who are not your children. I spelled these out in an earlier blog.
Two people forgot to pick a t-shirt size, to round out the 28.
Please be sure to enter your emergency contact. It's another required field. We keep a list of all the emergency contacts and phone numbers at the day's site. We also print your name and emergency contact information on the other side of the flag that has your PALM number on it and is attached to your bike. There is a chance that if you get hurt you won't be able to tell us your name. So emergency contact is an important field. One more thing: you can have up to two emergency contacts and each of them can have two phone numbers. (I know there isn't room for them on the application, but you can put them there.)
First thing's first: applications are assigned numbers as they come in, whether they have errors or not. So even if your application has an error, you are on the ride if you beat the famous 700 rider limit. But it delays you getting your confirmation letter.
The most common error is adding up the dollar amounts incorrectly: either overpaying (5) or underpaying (12). (If you overpay, we can't cash your check. ) On the application we mention: check your totals twice. That's why.
Missing signatures is the next most common error with 9. You have to sign the waiver before you can join the ride. There are special signatures necessary when you are riding with people under 18 who are not your children. I spelled these out in an earlier blog.
Two people forgot to pick a t-shirt size, to round out the 28.
Please be sure to enter your emergency contact. It's another required field. We keep a list of all the emergency contacts and phone numbers at the day's site. We also print your name and emergency contact information on the other side of the flag that has your PALM number on it and is attached to your bike. There is a chance that if you get hurt you won't be able to tell us your name. So emergency contact is an important field. One more thing: you can have up to two emergency contacts and each of them can have two phone numbers. (I know there isn't room for them on the application, but you can put them there.)
Friday, February 23, 2007
Mechanic’s Corner Part 1
Now that your PALM application is in and you are getting ready to start your training for the tour you have to ask yourself: What shape is my bike in?
If you don’t know, then your bike may need work. How old is it or how long has it been since the last overhaul? For a road bike, if it has been more that 5 years (only 1 or 2 years if the bike has been in the rain a lot) or 2000 miles, you may need an overhaul. A mountain bike may need overhauling as often as every 500 miles if ridden off road. You may need a new chain, cables or brake pads. Every moving part on the bike should be cleaned and lubricated. Check every nut and bolt to be sure it’s tight.
Every year on PALM I see bikes with problems that could have been avoided if an overhaul or full check of the bike had been done by a qualified mechanic.
If you are not comfortable with servicing your own bike, enroll in a class to learn how or take it to your local bicycle shop to have it tuned up and checked out.
Now is the best time to take your bike into the shop, as it is their lean time of the year. This early in the season you might get your bike back in only a day. Additionally, the shop mechanics will have more time to spend on you bike to be sure the job is done right. Don't wait for the first warm sunny Saturday in May and expect a fast turnaround. Spring is any bike shop's busiest time and the mechanics are pressed for time to complete the work on all the bikes they get in. Don't wait!
If you don’t know, then your bike may need work. How old is it or how long has it been since the last overhaul? For a road bike, if it has been more that 5 years (only 1 or 2 years if the bike has been in the rain a lot) or 2000 miles, you may need an overhaul. A mountain bike may need overhauling as often as every 500 miles if ridden off road. You may need a new chain, cables or brake pads. Every moving part on the bike should be cleaned and lubricated. Check every nut and bolt to be sure it’s tight.
Every year on PALM I see bikes with problems that could have been avoided if an overhaul or full check of the bike had been done by a qualified mechanic.
If you are not comfortable with servicing your own bike, enroll in a class to learn how or take it to your local bicycle shop to have it tuned up and checked out.
Now is the best time to take your bike into the shop, as it is their lean time of the year. This early in the season you might get your bike back in only a day. Additionally, the shop mechanics will have more time to spend on you bike to be sure the job is done right. Don't wait for the first warm sunny Saturday in May and expect a fast turnaround. Spring is any bike shop's busiest time and the mechanics are pressed for time to complete the work on all the bikes they get in. Don't wait!
Registration numbers continue to grow.
As of today, somewhere between 550 and 600 people have sent in registrations for PALM. Vickie and Mark have been extremely busy trying to stay caught up with all the paperwork. So it is looking as though PALM will set a new record for filling early! Therefore if you are hoping to join our ride this summer and don't want to be disappointed, please send in your registration as soon as possible! See you in June!
You can start training for PALM: Option 2
There is another way to start training for PALM. I'm currently in Matlacha, Florida in a cybercafe overlooking the water. We saw manatees, a burrowing owl, and the Edison winter home. Tomorrow we are going to rent bikes (and helmets)!! and bike on Sanibel Island. Now this isn't the same as biking on studded tires and talking to ice fisherman, but I will be getting on a bike and putting in some miles. Morally I'm corrupt, but I'm wearing shorts and it's 81 degrees. This may push processing applications back a few days. (I get back on Wednesday.) I feel bad, but I'm wearing shorts and it's 81 degrees.
So far we have received applications from 400 riders and I've sent out 255 confirmation letters. If you've haven't sent in your application, time is running out. If you have, tell your friends to send in theirs.
So far we have received applications from 400 riders and I've sent out 255 confirmation letters. If you've haven't sent in your application, time is running out. If you have, tell your friends to send in theirs.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
State of Michigan endorses PALM
The Governor's Council for Physical Fitness, Health, and Sports has made PALM an endorsed event and added it to its website. One of PALM's missions for its 25 years of existence has been the promotion of bicycling as part of a life of physical fitness. We encourage the participation of all ages in our event, not just the 20 year olds. In fact the 20-29 and 30-39 age ranges have traditionally been our smallest. We've kept the daily distances to a level that can be reached by almost everyone in a reasonable amount of time. We teach safety and encourage more use of bicycles in everyday life. That's why it is very gratifying to get this recognition.
Perhaps now that this pesky election is over with we can get the First Gentleman and a son or daughter on the ride. It's not the marathon, but you can share PALM with your whole family.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Kevin's new bike
Everyone who's ridden an organized ride in Michigan, especially a long ride, knows Kevin Degen. Kevin has ridden PALM 22 or 23 times. One year he missed it because he was doing an awareness ride across the country that ended in Washington DC. During that ride he rode thru snow (he hates cold) and thru 100 degree heat in the desert (he loves the heat). Kevin rides a trike using one arm and one leg. (Don't shake hands with him when he uses his good hand. He could crush coconuts with it.) He's been riding the same trike for years. I've lifted it into his car. It's heavy. Sturdy, but heavy. Reliable, but heavy. And old. Two years ago the St. Hupert's youth group rode PALM and met Kevin. They decided that he needed a new bike. So they held fund raisers and raised over $10,000.Everyone knows Kevin. A group of Toyota engineers met Kevin on the MS 150. They volunteered to design the bike. Several bike shops researched components for it. A framemaker from Grand Rapids welded the custom frame together. Last Sunday at St. Hubert's community center in Harrison Township, we all got a first look at it and met the people who put it together.
The Toyota engineers outlined their design objectives. The bike has two wheels in the front. The engineers said that was so that Kevin could get on and off the the bike easier (because the top tube is lower) and so that the bike would be more stable. (They are still not happy with the stability.) 90% of the bike is off the shelf components. This was because the engineers figured that Kevin would be biking everywhere so part availability was critical. The engineers captured the layout of his old bike digitally and duplicated it on the new bike. This means that Kevin will have exactly the same riding position on the new bike as on his old one. Overall the engineers from Toyota have invested over 400 hours in this project.
The Toyota engineers realized that they didn't have all the expertise they needed so they reached outside. They had the bike shops pick the components and steer them to where to get the tubing. When they needed the frame welded, they didn't do it themselves: they went to somebody who builds frames for a living.
It was very interesting to hear the engineers. If you asked them a question (like, Why aren't the front wheels at an angle?) they gave you a good reason (It would stress the wheels differently. You could build the wheels differently to handle the different stress, but this would mean that the wheel was no longer an off the shelf item.) You could tell that an awful lot of thought went into each part of the bike. They did a lot of detail work: for instance, they picked a shifting mechanism that would be easy to use with one hand so that Kevin could shift on hills which he couldn't really do before. He would just power up them.
The bike needs some more work. In fact the Toyota engineers may decide to go with a two wheels in the back design if they can't overcome the stability problems. Even in that case, all the components will be transferable. They are committed to finishing the bike in time for the current bike season. I can hardly wait to see it on the road.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
You Can Start Your PALM Training NOW!
Who says you can't bike in winter? Just because it's cold is no reason not to ride. People don't look at skiers like they are from Mars. You just have to dress for the weather. Layers and breathability are the key.
Yesterday I was out riding on the local frozen creeks and Lake St Clair (yes, I do have studded tires) saying hi to the ice fishermen. Today I did the annual MMBA "Blizzard Blast" mountain bike ride at Pontiac Lake Rec. Area. We had over 40 people on the ride. It was only 15 degrees, but after 2 miles, I was plenty warm. In fact I may have dressed too warm as I was pretty sweaty after the 12 mile ride.
I wouldn't recommend riding on the road right after it has snowed. It can be wet, sloppy, and the salt won't do your bike any good. However, when it's clear and cold, that's the time to ride. Any snow on the side of the road stays frozen so there is no slop. The sun helps keep you warm. If you are riding off road, the snow will probably be pack down by four-wheelers, snowmobiles and other cyclists and traction is remarkably good.
If you would like more information on winter biking, post a comment or send me an email
Yesterday I was out riding on the local frozen creeks and Lake St Clair (yes, I do have studded tires) saying hi to the ice fishermen. Today I did the annual MMBA "Blizzard Blast" mountain bike ride at Pontiac Lake Rec. Area. We had over 40 people on the ride. It was only 15 degrees, but after 2 miles, I was plenty warm. In fact I may have dressed too warm as I was pretty sweaty after the 12 mile ride.
I wouldn't recommend riding on the road right after it has snowed. It can be wet, sloppy, and the salt won't do your bike any good. However, when it's clear and cold, that's the time to ride. Any snow on the side of the road stays frozen so there is no slop. The sun helps keep you warm. If you are riding off road, the snow will probably be pack down by four-wheelers, snowmobiles and other cyclists and traction is remarkably good.
If you would like more information on winter biking, post a comment or send me an email
Twixt the superbowl and spring training
This is the dead time of winter for me. Even though I'm not much of a pro football fan, the Super Bowl is like a holiday. Now it's over. Sportswise all you can find are endless interchangable college and pro basketball games. Hockey you can't find. Don't talk to me about the Pro Bowl. If there were spring training, you would get daily reminders that summer is coming. All you have is the tundra of winter spreading out before you.
Fortunately for me, I work on the PALM registration. I get batches of applications from people that express their hope for summer. Last week I registered an 82 year old woman.
Where I live there is a Gardens Resource Network that is promoting community and family gardens. Yesterday I went to the first meeting for our community garden. It was refreshing to hear people talk seriously about insects and tomato problems and their solutions. And I got a calendar of garden events and workshops for the spring and summer, as if there was going to be a spring and summer. I recommend this for anyone who has my winter problem.
Of course, the best cure ( and the official end of winter) is Ernie Harwell's voice reciting the Song Of Solomon verses about the end of winter and the song of the turtle at the opening of spring training. Until then, please keep sending me those PALM applications. I need all the help I can get.
Fortunately for me, I work on the PALM registration. I get batches of applications from people that express their hope for summer. Last week I registered an 82 year old woman.
Where I live there is a Gardens Resource Network that is promoting community and family gardens. Yesterday I went to the first meeting for our community garden. It was refreshing to hear people talk seriously about insects and tomato problems and their solutions. And I got a calendar of garden events and workshops for the spring and summer, as if there was going to be a spring and summer. I recommend this for anyone who has my winter problem.
Of course, the best cure ( and the official end of winter) is Ernie Harwell's voice reciting the Song Of Solomon verses about the end of winter and the song of the turtle at the opening of spring training. Until then, please keep sending me those PALM applications. I need all the help I can get.
Friday, February 9, 2007
Setting limits
First the registration counts so far: 96 confirmations sent out with about 200 additional people in the PALM registration pipeline.
Worried about biking 50 miles a day for several days in a row? My advice is don't set limits. Don't say you can't do something. Instead find out what you can do. I run in the mornings. On Tuesday I found out that I can run when it is 0 degrees and a wind chill of -13. But I think this year's limit will be wind chills of -15.
The trouble is that I work with a guy from Russia. He says that he doesn't like winter when it is 32. He likes it when it's 5. He says that we don't have a culture of cold. He can't understand people who go outside in the winter, don't button their coats or wear hats, and then complain about the cold. He once got on Google Maps and showed me around the neighborhood where he grew up using their satellite maps. I looked at my house using the satellite maps. All I could see was how lousy my lawn looked even from outer space. This is what I have to work on: the glass is half full, not half empty.
Worried about biking 50 miles a day for several days in a row? My advice is don't set limits. Don't say you can't do something. Instead find out what you can do. I run in the mornings. On Tuesday I found out that I can run when it is 0 degrees and a wind chill of -13. But I think this year's limit will be wind chills of -15.
The trouble is that I work with a guy from Russia. He says that he doesn't like winter when it is 32. He likes it when it's 5. He says that we don't have a culture of cold. He can't understand people who go outside in the winter, don't button their coats or wear hats, and then complain about the cold. He once got on Google Maps and showed me around the neighborhood where he grew up using their satellite maps. I looked at my house using the satellite maps. All I could see was how lousy my lawn looked even from outer space. This is what I have to work on: the glass is half full, not half empty.
Monday, February 5, 2007
First confirmations mailed - wind
I've entered the first set of applications I received and mailed out their confirmation letters. That's the good news. The bad news is that it will still be in single digits when they arrive. What I sent out is about 1/3 of the applications that we have in the pipeline. There should be about a 2 week lag between mailing your application to PALM and receiving your confirmation. It's safe to say that if you haven't received a PALM application in the mail by now, you are not going to receive one. If you email us, we will mail an application to you. Or you can download one from our website.
Wind
During the winter when I can't bike, I run. I run outside in the morning before work, around 6:30 AM. On cool mornings, you notice the wind, even it is only 5-10 mph. On mornings like this morning, you notice every molecule of air as it drags itself over your skin. Wind is different for biking. Biking on hot days, you pray to be going against the wind. But wind is treacherous. Several times every year I go out on a ride where I feel really good, when I am going 3 mph faster than I usually go, and I feel that I'm really in good shape. Then I turn around to come back. Only then do I find out that I really had a 15 mph tailwind that I hadn't noticed until now when it was too late. Now I'm going 3 mph slower than I usually go, if that, panting and shifting to lower gears. You would think I would learn, but no. Humility is hard to learn, easy to forget, and must be taught over and over.
Wind
During the winter when I can't bike, I run. I run outside in the morning before work, around 6:30 AM. On cool mornings, you notice the wind, even it is only 5-10 mph. On mornings like this morning, you notice every molecule of air as it drags itself over your skin. Wind is different for biking. Biking on hot days, you pray to be going against the wind. But wind is treacherous. Several times every year I go out on a ride where I feel really good, when I am going 3 mph faster than I usually go, and I feel that I'm really in good shape. Then I turn around to come back. Only then do I find out that I really had a 15 mph tailwind that I hadn't noticed until now when it was too late. Now I'm going 3 mph slower than I usually go, if that, panting and shifting to lower gears. You would think I would learn, but no. Humility is hard to learn, easy to forget, and must be taught over and over.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Waiting for the flood
It's been 10 days since we mailed out the 2007 PALM applications. So far we've received 119 applications back. Last year the average application had 1.6 people on them. This means that about 190 people have signed up already. Last year we only had 68 people signed up half way thru February.
What's going on?
We split the registration duties in half. One person opens the applications, makes sure that they are in order (proper signatures, correct check amount, etc.), fills out ledger sheets for our accountant, and cashes the checks. The other half of registration consists of entering the applications into a computer, generating confirmation letters, keeping counts of the meals, buses, and tshirts, doing meal lists, etc. My wife and I do the second half. We have 190 registrations hanging over our head. We who are about to die salute you. It's a good thing that it is winter.
What's going on?
- At the last PALM meeting I made a special plead for the staff to sign up early. Maybe everybody at the meeting went home and immediately mailed in their applications? Nah!
- Maybe everybody who missed out last year because the ride filled early mailed in their applications. That's a possibility. We had to send back the applications of over hundred would be riders and we've had a lot of emails asking when the applications would be out.
- It was warm in January. Maybe people thought that it would be spring in a couple of weeks and that PALM couldn't be that far away. That's probably the reason.
We split the registration duties in half. One person opens the applications, makes sure that they are in order (proper signatures, correct check amount, etc.), fills out ledger sheets for our accountant, and cashes the checks. The other half of registration consists of entering the applications into a computer, generating confirmation letters, keeping counts of the meals, buses, and tshirts, doing meal lists, etc. My wife and I do the second half. We have 190 registrations hanging over our head. We who are about to die salute you. It's a good thing that it is winter.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Why pick PALM to ride?
If you are going to do a week long bike ride, why should you pick PALM?
For one, PALM is within reach physically for almost every bike rider. The average daily distance for PALM this year is 50 miles (last year it was 45 miles), not 75 miles. You don't have to be an athlete to do PALM. You just need to be in pretty good bike shape. We offer longer daily routes (that are SAGed, marked, and for which we have maps), even a century, but you don't have to do them.
PALM is affordable. An adult registration is $95. This is cheapest week long bike tour around. (Meals are extra, but optional: $5 for breakfast, $9 for dinner. You pick the meals you want.) Registration for riders under 18 is even less: $60 for riders 11 - 17, $ 50 for riders under 11. We can do this because our staff is all volunteer and PALM is nonprofit.
PALM is for people of all ages. If you check on our web site you will see that we have people of all ages and in numbers. We encourage families. Last year we had four generations of the same family on the ride, all on their own bikes.
This year will be the 26th annual PALM. While 35% of our riders are doing PALM for the first time, another 35% have done PALM 5 or more times. We must be doing something right.
For one, PALM is within reach physically for almost every bike rider. The average daily distance for PALM this year is 50 miles (last year it was 45 miles), not 75 miles. You don't have to be an athlete to do PALM. You just need to be in pretty good bike shape. We offer longer daily routes (that are SAGed, marked, and for which we have maps), even a century, but you don't have to do them.
PALM is affordable. An adult registration is $95. This is cheapest week long bike tour around. (Meals are extra, but optional: $5 for breakfast, $9 for dinner. You pick the meals you want.) Registration for riders under 18 is even less: $60 for riders 11 - 17, $ 50 for riders under 11. We can do this because our staff is all volunteer and PALM is nonprofit.
PALM is for people of all ages. If you check on our web site you will see that we have people of all ages and in numbers. We encourage families. Last year we had four generations of the same family on the ride, all on their own bikes.
This year will be the 26th annual PALM. While 35% of our riders are doing PALM for the first time, another 35% have done PALM 5 or more times. We must be doing something right.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Why do a week long bike tour?
You've ridden your bike for a while. You've done some organized day rides, maybe even 50 miles. Why would you want to ever do a week long bike ride? Suppose you've started a new job, one that has 2 weeks vacation for the first 5 years and 6 holidays per year. (My position not too long ago). Why would you want to spend a week, perhaps the only straight week off you have in a year, on your bike?
Vacations are about a change of pace, a way to get out of your routine, a way to relax and regroup. A biking vacation gives you a way to simplify. Your life consists of getting up in the morning, eating breakfast, packing up, biking, unpacking, eating dinner, and waiting for the next day. Your only responsibility is to reach the next site. Things move slowly. On a bike, you can see everything, you can pay attention to everything. You have time for anything. There is no reason to hurry: you would only have to wait longer for the next day. If you have a high stress job, this is the perfect vacation. You are forced to slow down. Your mind can wander. You can take the time to notice even the smallest thing.
A bike trip is a classless society. Even though everyone is different, everyone wears the same not very flattering clothes. Everyone has the same goal: get to the next site. You can meet and talk to people and have something immediately in common: the experiences on the ride. A bike trip can give you a chance to step outside yourself. It's like "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" but in a nice way.
Oh, one other thing. Bike trips take place in summer and fall when its warm, not in the winter.
Vacations are about a change of pace, a way to get out of your routine, a way to relax and regroup. A biking vacation gives you a way to simplify. Your life consists of getting up in the morning, eating breakfast, packing up, biking, unpacking, eating dinner, and waiting for the next day. Your only responsibility is to reach the next site. Things move slowly. On a bike, you can see everything, you can pay attention to everything. You have time for anything. There is no reason to hurry: you would only have to wait longer for the next day. If you have a high stress job, this is the perfect vacation. You are forced to slow down. Your mind can wander. You can take the time to notice even the smallest thing.
A bike trip is a classless society. Even though everyone is different, everyone wears the same not very flattering clothes. Everyone has the same goal: get to the next site. You can meet and talk to people and have something immediately in common: the experiences on the ride. A bike trip can give you a chance to step outside yourself. It's like "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" but in a nice way.
Oh, one other thing. Bike trips take place in summer and fall when its warm, not in the winter.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Registration for Riders Under 18
PALM encourages participation of riders under 18. Last year 168 riders under 18 (out of 757 total) rode PALM. It was the same the year before (168 riders out of 754 total). But there are a few extra signatures that are required. If you are taking someone with you who is under 18 and you are not the legal guardian or parent, you need the signed permission of a parent or guardian. There is a place on the application for this signature. Even if you are a grandparent or an uncle, you still need the signed permission of a parent or guardian.
All people on PALM who are under 18 and are not accompanied by a parent or guardian need a registered PALM participant as a sponsor. The sponsor must sign a statement accepting responsibility. In previous years we had the sponsor include a letter accepting responsibility with the application. This year we've included this acceptance as part of the application, right under where the parent or guardian signs.
So if you are taking someone on PALM who is under 18 and not your child, you need two other signatures besides the ride waiver signatures: the signature of a parent or guardian of the person under 18 granting permission to participate in PALM and your signature as a sponsor accepting responsibility for the young person.
All people on PALM who are under 18 and are not accompanied by a parent or guardian need a registered PALM participant as a sponsor. The sponsor must sign a statement accepting responsibility. In previous years we had the sponsor include a letter accepting responsibility with the application. This year we've included this acceptance as part of the application, right under where the parent or guardian signs.
So if you are taking someone on PALM who is under 18 and not your child, you need two other signatures besides the ride waiver signatures: the signature of a parent or guardian of the person under 18 granting permission to participate in PALM and your signature as a sponsor accepting responsibility for the young person.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Bicycle Education Classes on PALM
Pedal Across Lower Michigan is a family oriented tour, perfect for anyone who has never done a multi-day ride. Included with your registration is a nightly Bicycle Education class. This course will be taught each evening of PALM immediately following each night's all rider meeting. The class includes the classroom aspects of the League of American Bicyclists Road I course. We will cover vehicular cycling, bicycle maintenance, efficient cycling, common crashes and how to avoid them, self-contained touring, and the Effective Cycling video. There will be no on-bike instruction included in this course. Participants who attend five of the six classes and pass a written exam, will be awarded a certificate of completion for the Road I class room instruction. Optional on bike instruction will be offered later in the year to complete the Road I course.
PALM Applications Mailed
The PALM applications for 2007 were mailed out on Sunday January 21 from the Redford 24 hour post office. You should start receiving them today. If you haven't gotten an application by next Monday, email PALM to have one sent to you. You can also go to the web site and download the application in PDF format.
Last year the ride filled on April 11 and we mailed back the applications for more than 100 riders. This year we have been contacted by several groups about participating in the ride. One of them has ridden with us in the past has over 30 riders. Try to signup early if you can.
I sent in my application today. The way I look at it, I'm buying summer and I would gladly pay more that the registration and meals for summer right now. Just to be able to see the sky and not the bottom of clouds! By the time the ride comes around, the check has cleared so long ago that the ride is free. (This same logic works for baseball tickets. Try it.)
Large Groups: Please don't wait until every last straggler has given you his/her check before you send in your applications. You may not make it in time and there is no way we can register a block of riders after we've reached our limit. The schools this year are smaller (and older) than last year and there really is no room. Your group will be disappointed and not be very happy with us. A straggler can be put on a waiting list and could make it on the ride anyway.
Last year the ride filled on April 11 and we mailed back the applications for more than 100 riders. This year we have been contacted by several groups about participating in the ride. One of them has ridden with us in the past has over 30 riders. Try to signup early if you can.
I sent in my application today. The way I look at it, I'm buying summer and I would gladly pay more that the registration and meals for summer right now. Just to be able to see the sky and not the bottom of clouds! By the time the ride comes around, the check has cleared so long ago that the ride is free. (This same logic works for baseball tickets. Try it.)
Large Groups: Please don't wait until every last straggler has given you his/her check before you send in your applications. You may not make it in time and there is no way we can register a block of riders after we've reached our limit. The schools this year are smaller (and older) than last year and there really is no room. Your group will be disappointed and not be very happy with us. A straggler can be put on a waiting list and could make it on the ride anyway.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Applications, continued
The applications are ready, but there was some drama. I started before Thanksgiving marking up last year's application with the changes for this year: no jersey this year (so sad), meal prices went up, a new route (of course), it's 2007 now, etc. I got it to the printer at the start of December. We had two rounds of proof correction. This took a little longer since I emailed it out for other staffers to look at since it was an agenda item at one of the PALM meetings. Now it's edging to the end of December, still plenty of time. The printer takes her whole family on a family reunion Christmas vacation, but the applications are going to be done and I'll be able to pick them up a week before the meeting. A little tight, but still OK. Then one final glitch:
an ice storm which knocks out power to tens of thousands of homes and our printer. Homes get priority over businesses especially when the downed power line only affected two of them. The applications were printed, but not folded or tabbed. Maybe we could have the people at the PALM meeting fold 3000 applications, staple them as well as put stamps and labels on them? Hmm, maybe not. Or maybe I could have everybody pick up their applications at my house and we save on stamps? We could answer any questions that they have right there. But maybe that wouldn't work either.
Anyway you all were saved. The electricity came back on Friday, they were able to finish the applications on Friday afternoon, and we had a staff member who lives right by the printer pick them up at 5:00. Good thing, since they are closed on Saturday.
All this is to say that we are going to be mailing out the applications on Sunday January 21 (from a 24 hour post office). You should start receiving them by Tuesday.
an ice storm which knocks out power to tens of thousands of homes and our printer. Homes get priority over businesses especially when the downed power line only affected two of them. The applications were printed, but not folded or tabbed. Maybe we could have the people at the PALM meeting fold 3000 applications, staple them as well as put stamps and labels on them? Hmm, maybe not. Or maybe I could have everybody pick up their applications at my house and we save on stamps? We could answer any questions that they have right there. But maybe that wouldn't work either. Anyway you all were saved. The electricity came back on Friday, they were able to finish the applications on Friday afternoon, and we had a staff member who lives right by the printer pick them up at 5:00. Good thing, since they are closed on Saturday.
All this is to say that we are going to be mailing out the applications on Sunday January 21 (from a 24 hour post office). You should start receiving them by Tuesday.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Working on the Application
I'm generating the labels for this year's PALM applications,3047 of them, using MailMerge. When it works, MailMerge is magic. When it doesn't, what a pain! I produce registration confirmation letters and I vary the text based on whether this is your first PALM, your bus options, etc. This means that I have to change the letter once a year. So once a year I get to learn MailMerge again. This year it decided not to display MailMerge commands and the text options. No manual, of course so I had to turn to Help. What do you type in to get a list of the MailMerge commands and how to generate them? I tried "Mail Merge", all kind of things. Nothing worked so I displayed the MailMerge toobar to generate the options. All I wanted to do was to generate the {IF } commands. You can't type in {. That's taken as a character. Typing is what I do (old school). I was force to try to use the toolbar and point and click. I can never figure out why people use a picture (oh, excuse me, an icon) when they can use a word. Needless to say the toolbar didn't generate what I could use. I had to use Google and search entries to find out that Control F9 generates the { } pair that MailMerge takes as command delimiters. Why didn't I think of that? I did use the toolbar to toggle the settings so that I could see the MailMerge { IF } commands and the optional text I set up. Maybe there is hope for me yet.
I also do the PALM web site. After my rant, you can imagine what it looks like: lots of text and about one graphic image. Maybe if I started reading graphic novels instead of George Eliot the web site would stand a chance.
I also do the PALM web site. After my rant, you can imagine what it looks like: lots of text and about one graphic image. Maybe if I started reading graphic novels instead of George Eliot the web site would stand a chance.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
This year's route: Spring Lake to St. Clair
Perhaps a few words about this year's route. While we always start at Lake Michigan and go east, we change our route every year. The last couple of years we did a more southernly route, but this year we are up north: starting at Spring Lake (by Grand Haven) , going to Rockford, Carson City, Owosso, Millington, Almont and ending at St. Clair. This means that the distance is longer (about 290 mile total. The last two years had total mileage of 260 and 275 miles.) The course will be more hilly, at least for those of us who live in SE Michigan. The schools we'll be staying at will be a little smaller. Our ride has a 700 rider limit. The last couple of years we've had 750 people on our ride. In fact last year the ride sold out at the beginning of April and at one time we had over 800 people registered before people started to cancel because they couldn't be with their friends. This was way too many. We could have 750 riders because the schools in the southern part of the state were larger (and newer). No such luck in the north. We are going to be tracking the number of people registered closely because the schools are too small to handle over 7oo riders.
The meals on PALM are optional: you buy the ones you want, if any. We suggest that you consider buying the meals for Carson City, Millington, and Almont. Those towns are small and there are not a lot of places to eat.
PS. The last time we were at Almont, a whirlwind picked up one of the tents and sent it 100 feet in the air. We have pictures. It bounced off the bike repair truck on its way down. The flying tent: a legend of PALM
The meals on PALM are optional: you buy the ones you want, if any. We suggest that you consider buying the meals for Carson City, Millington, and Almont. Those towns are small and there are not a lot of places to eat.
PS. The last time we were at Almont, a whirlwind picked up one of the tents and sent it 100 feet in the air. We have pictures. It bounced off the bike repair truck on its way down. The flying tent: a legend of PALM
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Introduction
Consider this blog a diary of the Pedal Across Lower Michigan (PALM) bike ride for 2007. It will be kind of official since I am on staff (Registration) and I'll have other staff members contributing. However we have 20-30 people on staff and they keep reminding me that I don't speak for them. If you go to our web site you'll see that we've been doing this for 25 years and are the cheapest week long bike tour around. What you may not know is that we are a family oriented ride. There were 192 riders out of 757 that were 19 or under. We have a lot of first time riders: last year we had 345 riders that had never done PALM before. About half of these had never done a week long bike trip before. There are reasons for this. For one, the daily mileages are about 50 miles, within the reach of people who are not training for the Tour de France. (But if you are, we have longer routes available. No Alps though.) Last year we had 60 people 70 and over who did the ride.
While the biking is important, the people are more important. I consider PALM summer camp for adults. Just like summer camp when you were a kid, you know no one when you start and by the time it ends you have friends that you just can't wait until next summer to see.
This blog will also contain the lastest information about this years ride and answers to questions that have recently come up. Some of this stuff may also make it to the web site, but that takes too long. The ride is June 23 to June 29 (so it won't mess up July 4) and this year goes from Spring Lake on Lake Michigan to St. Clair on the St. Clair river. The applications are being printed now and will be mailed out on January 21. Email us to get on our mailing list. See you then!
While the biking is important, the people are more important. I consider PALM summer camp for adults. Just like summer camp when you were a kid, you know no one when you start and by the time it ends you have friends that you just can't wait until next summer to see.
This blog will also contain the lastest information about this years ride and answers to questions that have recently come up. Some of this stuff may also make it to the web site, but that takes too long. The ride is June 23 to June 29 (so it won't mess up July 4) and this year goes from Spring Lake on Lake Michigan to St. Clair on the St. Clair river. The applications are being printed now and will be mailed out on January 21. Email us to get on our mailing list. See you then!
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